As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. While some employees hesitate to take well-deserved paid time off (PTO) because they feel guilty—looking at you, millennials—others, their younger Gen Z counterparts, seem to have no problem asking for time off for reasons straight from the heart.
A manager recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a leave request email he received from a young employee that would have many boomers scratching their heads. The email read:
“I recently had a breakup and haven’t been able to focus on work, I need a short break. I’m working from home today, so I’d like to take leave from the 28th to the 8th.”
Short, sweet, and to the heartbroken point.
When the manager publicly shared a screenshot of the email (with names blurred out), he wrote above it: “Got the most honest leave application yesterday. Gen Z doesn’t do filters!”
If you’re wondering, yes — this manager did approve the leave request **without any questions**.
The post quickly went viral, receiving over 14 million views on X. Many people expressed support for the generation born between 1997 and 2012.
One commenter wrote, “Gen Z might not have everything figured out, but when it comes to work—they know their rights, speak up without fear, and refuse to tolerate nonsense.”
Another chimed in, “In an age of AI, you should be hiring people with solid communication skills and great EQ. This person is that.”
And someone else tweeted, “I respect the honesty. Sometimes a breakup hurts more than deadlines.”
This, of course, isn’t the first time a Gen Z employee has had an unexpected reason for requesting time off. Another young worker sent a candid email that read:
“Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the work and my energy feels a little off, so not getting that vibe right now. I’ll be out from 28th July to 30th July (pls don’t miss me).”
At first, this manager didn’t seem as understanding as the previous one since the employee appeared to be stating what they were doing rather than formally asking for time off. However, by the end of the day, the request was still approved.
“She was frustrated with all the work, so I approved it,” the manager shared.
In the end, it seems that honesty—and a little vulnerability—go a long way in today’s workplace, especially among Gen Z employees who are redefining how we communicate and set boundaries at work.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/lifestyle/gen-z-employee-had-unexpected-reason-for-time-off-request/
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